Jihadi activities in Assam mainly in Barpeta district: Gogoi

Guwahati: Jihadi activities in Assam are mainly in Barpeta district, said Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today.“Jihadi activities are mainly in Barpeta district. Some people from there and Nalbari district have gone for training outside,” Gogoi told reporters at a press meet here.

“The National Investigation Agency is investigating into it. The NIA is equipped to do so as jihadi issue has international ramifications and wider links. Our scope is limited to Assam only,” he said.

To a query if madarasas were involved in jihadi activities, the Chief Minister said, “There is no proof that all are responsible. One or two persons there may be involved but that does not mean all there are involved.” “Jihadi activities have been there since 1995.

In Assam we have made over 600 arrests, including Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI), Muslim United Liberation Front of Assam (MULTA) elements,” he said.

Gogoi also took credit for containing militancy in the state, asserting, “I only have contained insurgency and jihadi activities. They are interconnected.” “Because insurgency has been contained, development has taken place in Assam. Investments are coming in,” he said.

The NIA yesterday searched in Barpeta district the house of Sahanur Alom alias Doctor, one of the main accused in the Burdwan blast case and seized some materials from the house.

The NIA had recently declared Rs 5 lakh reward for information leading to absconding Alom's arrest.